NCDA&CS awards $18.2 million in farmland preservation grants

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Introduction

The N.C. Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund recently awarded $18.2 million to protect working farms and forests, support county farmland preservation efforts, and promote agricultural enterprises in North Carolina.

Importance of Farmland Preservation

The need for farmland preservation in North Carolina is at an all-time high as the state continues to attract new businesses and residents. As development pressure builds, there is an opportunity to help farmers who wish to stay on their land through farmland preservation grants like these. The goal is to ensure the availability of natural resources to sustain ourselves in the future.

Awarded Agricultural Conservation Easement Projects

• Alamance Soil and Water Conservation District received $58,295 to preserve a 17-acre farm.
• Haywood Soil and Water Conservation District received two grants totaling $364,100 to protect 87 acres of working land on two farms.
• Johnston Soil and Water Conservation District received $827,025 to preserve 159 acres of farmland.
• Mainspring Conservation Trust received two grants totaling $481,026 to protect 56 acres of working land on two farms in Cherokee County.
• Piedmont Land Conservancy received $256,434 to protect 109 acres of farmland on a farm in Surry County.
• Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy received $205,020 to protect 201 acres of farmland in Haywood County.
• Three Rivers Land Trust received four grants totaling $1,572,810 to protect 308 acres of farmland on four farms in Cabarrus and Rowan counties.
• Triangle Land Conservancy received $587,231 to preserve 74 acres of working land in Lee County.
• Wake Soil and Water Conservation District received three grants totaling $1,977,072 to protect 115 acres of working land on three farms.
• Working Lands Trust received four grants totaling $2,479,006 to preserve 262 acres of farmland on four farms in Lenoir, Moore, and Rockingham counties.

Awarded Agricultural Plans

• Alexander Soil and Water Conservation District received $17,000 for the development of a Cost of Community Services Study.
• Franklin County Cooperative Extension received $8,500 to update the county’s Voluntary Agricultural Districts ordinance.
• McDowell County received $17,000 for the development of a county Farmland Protection Plan.
• Randolph County Cooperative Extension received $17,000 to update the county’s Farmland Protection Plan.
• Randolph County Cooperative Extension received $8,500 to update the county’s Voluntary Agricultural Districts ordinance.
• Rowan County Cooperative Extension received $8,500 to update the county’s Voluntary Agricultural Districts ordinance.
• Stanly Soil and Water Conservation District received $17,000 to update the county’s Farmland Protection Plan.
• Wake Soil and Water Conservation District received $17,000 to update the county’s Farmland Protection Plan.

Awarded Agricultural Development Projects

• Chatham Soil and Water Conservation District received $7,375 for the Chatham County Farmland Preservation Plan Implementation Project.
• Haywood Soil and Water Conservation District received $40,264 for the Tuscola Farm Vocational-Agricultural Project.
• Rutherford Soil and Water Conservation District received $65,000 for the Farmland Trusts Pilot Program.
• Southwestern NC RC&D received $22,500 for the WNC Farm to Table Phase 2 Project.
• Stanly County received $487,326 for the Livestock Arena and Agricultural Center.
• Union County received $15,000 for the Union County Land Preservation and Conservation Easement Program.
• Yancey County received $450,000 for the Yancey County School Animal Science Pathway Expansion Project.

Awarded Local Agricultural Growth Zones Grants

• Buncombe Soil and Water Conservation District received $1,945,443 for the Buncombe County AGZ.
• Chatham Soil and Water Conservation District received $295,443 for the Chatham County AGZ.
• Lee County received $489,443 for the Lee County AGZ.
• Orange County received $1,445,443 for the Orange County AGZ.
• Wake Soil and Water Conservation District received $1,445,443 for the Wake County AGZ.

Eight open agricultural conservation easement grant contracts were awarded additional easement purchase funds due to higher appraisal values or denial of federal funding, totaling $2,574,694.

–Evan Davis, NCDA&CS

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 15: Life on Land

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding, and other disasters, and that progressively improve land and soil quality.
• SDG 11.4: Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.
• SDG 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 2.4.1: Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture.
• Indicator 11.4.1: Total expenditure (public and private) per capita spent on the preservation, protection, and conservation of all cultural and natural heritage.
• Indicator 15.1.1: Forest area as a proportion of total land area.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: morningagclips.com